


fancy meeting you here

by Sumi



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:20:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26662072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/pseuds/Sumi
Summary: After nineteen years on earth, Shepard decides to try her luck and stow away onto a ship headed towards the Citadel. There she has a chance encounter with c-sec officer Garrus Vakarian, which changes both their lives.
Relationships: Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	fancy meeting you here

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CorinaLannister](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/gifts).



> This was written for the equality auction over on dreamwidth.

The end of her long journey saw her arrive at the Citadel with nothing but the clothes on her back, two-hundred credits, and an old, refurbished omni-tool on her wrist. Nineteen years and light-years away from where she started, with a history of foster homes and rough living behind her, she was ready to make a fresh start in this shiny city in space.

It was easy to smuggle her way there. Jane stowed away on a cargo shuttle with forged identification courtesy of a guy she knew back on earth that traded in illegal items. It hadn’t been easy for him to procure it for Jane, something he mentioned enough times to make her sorry she’d asked for it before she was ready to leave. 

Naturally, the payment had been steep and even more difficult to get than the fake credentials. Jane wondered if it would even get her past that damned C-Sec she heard about, but it did without any problems.

After a few days of sleeping around the docks and avoiding C-Sec, Jane found a small group of other displaced people to stay with. They lived in parts of the Citadel the average person didn’t think and want to look at. She’d practically grown up in those types of places.

A month into her stay, Jane found herself falling into her old habits. Things were supposed to be different here. She was the farthest she could get from where’d she’d been and this was supposed to be her fresh start. Yet Jane found herself falling back into her old habits quickly enough because it was easy and all she knew. It was depressing how she’d gone halfway across the universe just to lead the same life. And this depressive cloud fogged her head and made her sloppy.

Jane needed money, the same as everyone else, so she attempted to take some credit chits that had carelessly been left on the counter of the ramen shop. She started to walk away with them when a C-Sec officer suddenly blocked her path.

“Ma’am I saw that.”

Jane lifted a brow. “And do you want a penny for your trouble or something?” she muttered, snorting when the Turian looked at her, possibly confused. “It’s a sort of old human saying. I improvised with it towards the end.”

It had only been a few weeks since Jane met her first Turian, so she was completely baffled on how to tell what emotion they may be feeling. At least with Asari, Krogans, and Salarians, it was pretty obvious. Quarians were an entirely different story.

“Just… drop the credit chits and I’ll let you go. This time.”

Reluctantly, Jane put the chits back where she found them. “Fine. Happy Officer?”

He cleared his throat, sounding like he was almost attempting to hold back a chuckle. “Very.”

The next time Jane met the officer was about two weeks later when she was busted for stealing some food. He wasn’t the arresting officer, but he was the one to take her information, much to Jane’s horror and slight amusement.

“You,” he said with a shake of his head. “Name?”

Jane looked down at the nameplate on the desk. It read ‘Garrus Vakarian’. A very Turian name… or so she assumed. Her experience with Turians was limited.

“Ma’am, name,” Officer Vakarian repeated.

“Jane Shepard. Age nineteen, originally from Earth. Parents deceased,” Jane rattled off. “Need any other information?”

The officer did chuckle this time, despite his attempts to stifle it. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

“I’ll admit this ain’t my first rodeo.”

Garrus’s mandibles fluttered. “Let me guess that’s one of those human idioms I keep hearing so much about?”

Jane snorted. “Yeah, we’re full of them.”

After that experience, Jane decided she needed to work on some new techniques. She talked with her new ‘roommates’ and discovered some new strategies to implement. However, C-Sec was good at their job. Well, sometimes.

Anytime Jane was taken in for the petty crime, she somehow managed to bump into Officer Vakarian. Either he was taking her information or doing the actual arresting. It seemed like Jane couldn’t go a day or two without bumping into Garrus Vakarian.

Six months in, Jane found herself almost looking forward to their meetings. One particular time they bumped into each other, Jane was at her usual spot in the presidium. She saw her favorite C-Sec officer begin to approach and grin, giving him a wave.

His mandibles twitched, but given her lack of knowledge on Turian facial expressions, she had no idea what emotion he was trying to convey. 

“Shepard, according to the records you were arrested this morning at the souvenir gift shop.”

She cursed underneath her breath for her stupidity at getting caught. It was embarrassing how quickly the C-sec officers caught her this time. Stealing on the Citadel was just more difficult than it ever was back on earth.

“Officer Vakarian, you’re correct.”

Garrus sighed. “Really Shepard? This is the second time this week.”

“Technically it’s the third time. You and your fellow officers just haven’t connected me to the offense,” Jane teased.

“Yet.” He sounded so sure of himself that Jane had to hold back her laughter for fear of hurting his feelings.

Instead, Jane kept her rebuttal short and sweet.

“Keep dreaming, Officer Vakarian.”

Garrus’s mandibles twitched again, but based on his narrowed eyes, Jane had a feeling this time it was annoyance he was feeling.

“Technically what you just gave me is what we Turians at C-Sec call a confession.”

Jane lifted a brow. “So you’re coming to see me in an official capacity, Officer?”

“... Consider this a friendly warning Shepard, to stay out of trouble,” Garrus said, which drew another grin from Jane.

“I’ll try, but no promises.”

The sigh that escaped Garrus as he turned to walk away only added to her amusement. She almost wanted to call after Garrus and tell him she’d see him again soon. Given how often they’d interacted since her arrival at the Citadel six months ago, it was certainly feasible within the next day or two. 

Perhaps even the same day. That happened just a week ago, which seemed to surprise Garrus more than it did Jane. While Jane wouldn’t admit it, she had grown fond of their talks.

It was always fun to try to get the Turian to open up. They could be so stiff and by the book, but Jane was able to break through some of the walls Garrus kept up. 

He must’ve been getting to her too because when he found Jane one evening, sitting cross-legged on a bench in the Presidium, he spoke candidly. Candid enough to breach Jane’s stubbornness and actually make him consider his words.

Jane first noticed him walking towards her out of the corner of her eye. She flashed him a smile and then waved, which was her typical greeting for Garrus by this point.

“No arrests this week, Shepard,” Garrus drawled. “This is a new record for you.”

She winked. “Told you I’d get better, Vakarian.”

“Shepard…”

“Yes, Officer?” Jane asked, teasingly.

He fidgeted and then rifled through his bag. Once Garrus found what he was looking for he moved closer and then thrust the object into her hand.

Jane didn’t have to look at what Garrus gave her. She smelled it right away. It was some of that delicious food from one of the many cafes littering the Presidium. The last time Jane was at breakfast, so the smell of food made her stomach instantly growl— much to her embarrassment.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

Garrus sighed. “I did, Shepard. You don’t eat properly.”

She huffed, choosing to dismiss his comment with a roll of her eyes. “It’s how it is Vakarian.”

“Have you considered it doesn’t have to be?” Garrus countered, not hesitating one bit in deciding to challenge Jane’s view. “I overheard some Alliance officers talking on the docks about setting up a recruiting station later this week. You--”

“What do you think I lack discipline or something?” she snapped.

This sudden outburst drew a nervous chuckle from Garrus. “Most humans do, but that’s not why I brought it up. It’ll just give you a more stable existence.”

“... I’ll think about it, Vakarian.”

Garrus’ words stayed with Jane. Despite her many attempts to get them out of her mind, they refused to leave. Instead, Jane found herself actually considering it. She’d never been the type to put stock in military service, but the idea that it might provide some stability was tempting. It was so tempting that Jane actually did it.

She let her plans slip to Garrus after catching him in the middle of a shift. He chuckled knowingly before casually asking when she would be deploying. Jane wanted to tease Garrus and ask if he would be there to say goodbye to her, but her question came out more serious than she intended it to come out.

“I’ll be there, Shepard,” he told her, eyes boring into hers.

A week later and Jane was ready to leave. True to his word, Garrus showed up to say goodbye to Jane.

She glanced towards the shuttle waiting at the end of the docking station and realized the goodbyes would have to be quick. She wanted to drag it out as long as possible, but the irritated looking Alliance officer inside said otherwise.

Jane checked her omni-tool for the time. “I should get going, Vakarian. The recruiter looks pissed, and the last thing I want is a bunch of demerits before I even start boot camp.”

This drew a chuckle from Garrus. “Probably not the first impression you want to make, but you’re not exactly great at making good first impressions, Shepard.”

She thought back to the first time they met and let out a laugh of her own. Garrus did have a point. The first time Jane met Garrus, she made a  _ horrible _ first impression. However, it also had the benefit of keeping her on his mind, so it wasn’t all bad.

When the Alliance officer called her name, Jane winced. “See you, Officer. I’ll message you as soon as I get a chance.”

“Looking forward to it, Shepard.”

The two of them would meet again. Jane just had no idea when that would be.


End file.
